In the first game of the Frenchman's second spell as Real Madrid boss, one of his most trusted players was immediately restored to the starting line-up - and responded with the opening goal in a 2-0 win over Celta.

"Everybody knows what he has done for this club, as both a player and a coach," the attacking midfielder said. "It's good news for everyone that he has decided to return."

That's not really true, though.

It is pretty bad news for the likes of Thibaut Courtois, Dani Ceballos and Sergio Reguilon - as was made abundantly clear here.

All three were dropped to the bench for the visit of a struggling Celta side.

Isco was recalled in his preferred attacking midfield role and he wasn't the only immediate beneficiary of Zidane's return, as the inexplicably ostracised Marcelo replaced Reguilon at left-back and Keylor Navas unsurped needless summer signing Courtois in goal.

Given his strained relationship with Zidane, Gareth Bale would have been less sure of his recall but, with both Vinicius Junior and Lucas Vazquez ruled out through injury, the Frenchman really had no choice but to turn to the Welshman.

Bale took his chance to remind his new/old coach - and the Bernabeu boo boys - of his worth, killing the game as a context with 13 minutes to go with a right-footed finish from a Marcelo assist.

Casemiro may have been suspended on the day, while Cristiano Ronaldo has long since departed, but with this line-up, and this coach, it was as if we were watching the Real Madrid of last season.

They played like the Real Madrid of last season too, albeit belatedly.

Madrid struggled to retain possession early on and didn't threaten at all until Bale Karate Kid-kicked a bouncing ball against the crossbar on the half-hour mark.

Indeed, for a long time, it seemed it might be one of those days, with VAR even ruling out a goal for Luka Modric.